At the terrace on the second floor which overlooked the crater, Miko could understand why it was dubbed: "the heavenly lake". The crater was gigantic, filled halfway through with rainwater that has been collected for many years to form a lake that eventually carved a river out to sea. Some have said that the gods personally carved it, but really, who knows? The crater was surrounded by hills and mountains that seemed to peak past the sky, making many believe that the crater itself was the work of the gods themselves. Large waterfalls crashed down from mountain sides, some with shrines beside them. Those shrines were obviously carved into the mountain, with pathways on the mountain side that lead up to them.
Miko took in a whiff of the air. It was in the middle of spring, making the air fresh and revitalising. It was wet with mist, which slightly dampened the bodies of those on the terace. Miko sighed a little, "This place sure is nice".
Tashi simply chuckled in response, "Of course. This place is dedicated to the gods, so it is natural they deserve the best of locations. Besides, I have heard some of the cultivators say that they can feel fresher spiritual energy here, probably because this is sacred land. Even the inn on one of the mountains has a place where cultivators can cultivate and absorb the energy here."
"Huh, interesting," Miko hummed. Lost in thought and admiring the scenery, Miko tensed slightly when she felt Tashi intertwine their fingers together. Tashi then pressed his lips onto her temple, moving a few strands of stray hairs away from her face.
"Don't let that block your view," Tashi whispered in her ear, causing her to turn bright scarlett. Tashi smirked at this, not being able to get enough of a flustered, embarrassed Miko. She turned to eye him, smilling while trying to hide her embarrassment. Why did she always have to be the one embarrassed?
"Which view do you think I enjoy more? The lake in the crater, or the one in front of me?" Miko answered seductively, using her other hand to brush lightly against his chest.
"Wow... Its quite firm," Miko thought as she continued to run her fingers across his chest, while Tashi turned a little red on his ears.
"Don't... do that... there are many people around..." Tashi managed to stutter out. Miko looked around. Left and right, all around them were lovey dovey couples, just like her and Tashi. Some of them have even progressed more than her, kissing each other roughly or subtly groping each other.
"Would you prefer this then?" Miko said, before she pressed her lips onto Tashi's. It was not like they haven't done this before, but yet it felt more special here. Was it because of the romantic setting? Or because they were in a shrine of love?
Sucking his bottom lip, Miko began to work with Tashi's lips, no longer holding back like she did before in the past. Back then, she was worried he would not be able to keep up. Since foxes were more promiscuious in nature, they were naturally better at this sort of thing, and Miko was not sure how he would react. It may seem to him she was more experienced, and he may misunderstand that she was a flirtatious, easy woman. This was especially so in a conservative soceity... However, she did not feel like she could be gentle now. She was worked up, and did not have the self control. Was it because she initiated the teasing? If so, she could understand why Tashi liked doing it.
Tashi now snapped out of his daze and began kissing her back, sucking on her upper lip. He released his hold on her hands, and so did Miko. His hands slithered behind her waist, while she held tightly onto his neck. Just like that, both of them stayed like that on the cool and humid terrace, in each other's embrace. However, their hearts were burning with a desire threatening to consume them both, driving them deeper into each other. This sensation however, was unfamiliar to Miko, as she felt something stir deep within her, seeming to want more. More of his touch. More of this moment. She didn't want to let go.
Unfortunately, Tashi did. When they parted, he was panting heavily, his cheeks completely flushed. Small water droplets could be seen on his forehead and temple, but whether it was from the mist of the lake or the heat of the kiss they shared was the question. Miko however, pushed her lips towards his again, not giving him another second of rest. This time, she initiated by prying his lips open with her tongue, poking it gently until Tashi's lips parted enough for it to enter.
The kiss was hot and long. Miko took her time, exploring the cavern of Tashi's mouth with her tongue, licking the inside of his cheeks before both their tongues began to battle for dominance. However, Tashi lost once again by parting first. Miko looked at Tashi's erotic expression. His eyes appeared to be in a sort of daze, while his lips remained parted, his chest moving rythmically as he panted. It would be a lie to say she felt nothing for him at this moment.
"Damn..." Tashi gasped, pulling one of his arms away and raising his hand to cover his mouth. His face was flushed a bright red, and his lips slightly swollen from the previous assault it faced.
"What is it?" Miko asked, seeming as if she had no clue about the effects of her on Tashi, batting her eyelashes at him innocently.
"H-How are you so good at this? D-did you practise alot? N-not that I'm questioning your..." Tashi said, in between pants.
"Umm not really, you are the second... no first guy I've been with?" Miko answered. Depending on how one sees it, she could have been with either one or two guys. Takei and Tashi. Miko had her suspicions that they were one of the same, Tashi being a reincarnation of Takei. Of course, up till now, she had no solid proof, but this was what she strongly believed so considering their mannerisms and habits were so similar. In this case, wouldn't it be only one person since their soul was the same?
"I'm the first?!" Tashi asked in surprise. When he first met Miko, he thought that her peerless beauty could even rival that of the princesses of the empire. If not for her simple clothing, he would have believed her to be of nobility. However, he came to learn that she was just from an ordinary, peasant family, that farmed for a living. Still, things did not add up. If she was a farmer, how could her skin still be smooth and soft to the touch like jade? How could it be so fair if she was always under the sun? How could her hands not be calloused after working in the fields for her entire life? As such, he came to only one conclusion. When one has good looks and is poor, there was only one job to take up. As such, for a long time, he thought she was a courtesan trying to go out of her way to earn income and gain business. He felt a little sympathy, but never looked to her for services since he thought it was a scam and he would have to pay later on in some way. However, Miko never took any drastic action, such as forcing him to sleep with her or pressuring him to do so. She just seemed like a naive, innocent girl, especially with that personality of hers, always cheerful and considerate. Thus, he came to another conclusion, that perhaps, she decided to forgo her old way of life, and start a serious relationship with him. However, hearing Miko tell him he was her first, he couldn't help but realise that he never really knew much about her, but rather just based everything off of his assumptions.
"I see... but at the same time, you also said I was your second, what did that mean? Also, I realised, I don't know much about your background?" Tashi simply stated. In his eyes, potentially marrying someone of unknown origin is dangerous, and to marry someone, you'll have to trust them first. How could he do so if he didn't know her on a more personal level?